Buckley Named Gatorade W.Va. Boys Track and Field Athlete of Year

When you are the defending state champion, good things are expected of you.

In 2014, Christian Buckley of Poca went well beyond good, grabbing gold once again in the throwing events at Laidley Field and setting a state meet record in the process. As a result, the rising senior was named the Gatorade West Virginia Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

“Going into the season, hitting some big PRs was my primary goal,” Buckley said. “I knew I wanted to keep my state titles in both events, but I would have still been satisfied with the improvements I saw in my distances this year.

“I can’t say I ended up exactly the way I had hoped in respect to my technique, but I still made some big strides that I can be proud of. I definitely have a lot to look forward to moving forward.”

And in looking back on an undefeated regular season in both disciplines, Buckley displayed truckloads of the skill that has led him to the state meet podium three times in both the shot and discus. The Dot bettered his 2013 bests in both events in his first 2014 invitational and never looked back.

“I think when Christian hit 57 (feet in the shot put) at the Gazette Relays, it showed that the state record was a real possibility,” Poca coach John Bonecutter said of one watershed moment for his throws standout in 2014.

“(In the discus,) he went over 170 the first meet of the season, and I knew it was going to be a big year for him.”

Consistently over 160 in the discus and 55 in the shot put during the season, Buckley was at his best in his final meet of the year in West Virginia. Leading the other Class AA state qualifiers by more than 9 feet in the shot and almost 30 feet in the discus, Buckley did not disappoint at Laidley Field, dominating both events with his longest throws of the year.

“Quite honestly, even up to the Friday before competition a state record wasn’t a goal of mine, but I prepared the week before for a big PR,” Buckley said of his historic day in the shot put. “Probably after the first few throws in warm-ups, I began to realize a record was within reach. I remember surprising myself with a couple throws on top of the 60-foot line, and even though I was coming out of the front of the ring on those, I had never seen myself hit marks like that in practice or competition.”

Buckley’s opening toss of 55-8.25 would have won by almost nine feet, but he was far from finished. The Dot improved on each of his five measured throws, moving up to 56-3 in round 2. A 57-3.75 toss followed, along with a 58-1 mark that put him within about a half-foot of the state meet record.

His next throw of 59-7.5 erased from the record list the 58-7.25 toss in 2008 by Eric Myers of Sissonville. Buckley won the 2014 title by almost 13 feet.

“Coming out of the gate on the first throw I always feel more comfortable with a safety mark, so the 55 (footer) was just to get one in off the bat,” Buckley said. “After that, I just kept putting a little more on each throw. When I hit a 58-(foot) fourth throw, I decided I would just go all-in on the fifth; whether I stayed in or not, I wanted to hit a huge throw. Luckily, I was able to stay in on the throw, getting another PR and state record.”

Later in the day on May 24, Buckley again was in command in the discus. His season-best effort of 174-4 was the winner by almost 25 feet.

“Christian is an extremely hard-working young man,” Bonecutter said. “He is self-motivated, self-disciplined and very competitive. His level of dedication is unmatched. He is hungry for success and focused on what it takes to get to the top.”

Buckley thanked his brother, Quentin, and father, Dana, for keeping him “motivated in the ring and in the weight room”, coach Phil Gregory and former Hurricane thrower A.J. White, along with many others.

“Even those around me that can’t help as much with the technical aspect of the sport are always willing to assist in any way; whether it be my mom filming my throws and returning implements, the neighbors allowing me to throw discus off of their basketball court or friends and family members providing me with all the encouragement I need,” Buckley added. “It is hard for me to imagine competing on the level I am today without all of the help from those around me.”

As for 2015, Buckley does not plan to rest on his laurels.

“With a long off-season of weightlifting and technical work ahead, it’s tough to predict where I’ll be next year distance wise,” he said. “With that being said, after it’s all said and done next year, I would love to keep both state titles and hold a pair of state records, but I would be content with a few more big PRs in both events, avoiding the dreaded ‘plateau’ in my distances.”

Distance ace Jacob Burcham of Cabell Midland was the previous Gatorade winner, claiming the state award in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The last time a field event standout won the state Gatorade award was in 2008 when Sissonville’s Myers was the recipient.